Electrotherapeutic device.



J. B. WANTZ. I ELEOTROTHERAPEUTIG DEVIGB.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-21, 1909.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

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J. B. WANTZ. ELEGTROTHEBAPEUTIG DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OUT- 21, 1909.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

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f wy w J. B. WANTZ. ELEGTBOTHERAPEUTIG DEVIGB.

APPLICATION FILED 0011 21, 1909. 1,003,676. Patented Sept. 19,1911.

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JULIUS B. VVAN'IZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNOR TO VICTOR ELECTRIC COMPANY,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS,

ELECTROTHERAPEUTIO DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept 19, 1911.

Application filed October 21, 190? Serial No. 523,774.

1'0 tall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS B. lVANrz, a citizen of the lnited States, residing at Chi- :ago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful linproreinent in lllcctrotherapeutic'Devices, of which the following is a SPOClfiCEItlOTl.

My primary object is to provide means of improved construction for use in the production of a, so-called, sinusoidal current; also to provide improved mechanisms whereby the strength or intensity of such a current and the speed of the sinenvares or pulsations, may he varied-at will.

It is further my ohjectto provide n cans for the production of What 1 term a null tiplex current brought about the cornhination of sinusoidal and. alternating current Waves; and it is also my object to provide improved means for producing av soeallcd surging current. The above currents are believed to effect beneficial therapeutic results When properly applied, and it is one of my objects, therefore, to provide a, seli contained electrotherapentic device which, when coupled in circuit With an electric generator, may be easily manipulated for the production of any oi the above-mentioned currents, as Well as a straight \anic current, and to vary such currents throughout a Wide range, and Which, by the incorporation in the device of well. known cot perative features, may be employed for the production of other currents or current manifestations like, for example, induced currents having difierent characteristics from a straight galvanic current.

Referring to the accompanying drawings l igure l is a plan View of an insulating slab or table with my improved mechanisms mounted thereon, the Various circuit- Wires being" hidden; Fig. 2, an enlarged and hrokcn section on line 2 in Fig. 1 illustrating part of the construction of a rotary cyliuder and resistai'ice Winding T employ; Fig. i, a developed ViGW' of the circumferential face of the rotary cylinder beneath the re sistancewinding; Fig. 4, ,a diagrammatic View of the circuits; Figs. 5, 6 and 7, views, respectively, in illustration of sinus soidal, multiplex and surging currents; Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are enlarged sections taken on dotted lines 8 to 11 inclusive of llig. a, and Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail View showing the wiringof the cylinder li'lounted upon the insulating slab, or the like, 8 is a rotary converter 9 Which is also used as a direct current motor, the armature shalt 10 of which carries the collcctor-rings ll \rhcrehy the direct current in ay be trans formed into an alternating current. The main-current wires, in the present instance troni the direct-current generator, or supolier not shown), are connected in vpractice to the hindingmosts l9, 13, the. Wires it in said posts leading; to a. resistance or rl'ieostat, re 'ireseuted by the series ct buttons or contacts 14 shown, and a switch lever 15, all in a common manner. The oar-ts 14:, 15 iit'orn'i a motor regulating switch in circuit with the directctn'rent wires 16 lending; to the motor 9 from the binding-posts i2,

18 is a slidingselector swit -h having the dead contacts 19, 19, the contacts 20 in cir' cult with a direct-current, and alternating;- current. cont acts 21 in circuit With the rota y trans-former, or collector-rings, ll, on the armature-shaft 10. In the said direct-circuit is a lamp 1'? useful to indicate that the current through contacts 20 is on.

22 is a stationary insulating drum wound with a resistance coil which is connected at one end by means of the Wire 24 with the l indinos'post- 25 of the selector-switch l8. he other end of the coil 23 is connected by a Wire 26 with the binding-130st 27 of the selector-switch 18. Itwill he understood that when the sliding selector switch is moved by means of its insulated handle 28 to the contacts 20. direct current passes through the Wire 24 to the winding 23 and thence through the Wire 26 to the other con tact 20; While if the sliding selector switch is moved to the contacts 21, an alternatintcurrent passes through the Wires 24, 26a and through the winding Extending), parallel with the drum 22 is a stationary rod 29, upon which slidesa contact 30 held against the resistance winding 23 and operating as a, shunt-current voltage-regulator, which is adjusted on the rod 29 in accordance with the scale 31. For convenience, the drum 22 and cooperating features, described, are mounted upon a raised insulating platform 32, which in turn is mounted upon the slab or table 8. Extending from the rod 29 to a bindingpost 3 is a wire 33.

Journaled in bearings on the platform 32 are the trunnions 35 of a rotary cylinder 36. The construction of the cylinder-ends is shown in Fig. 2, each being formed with an end-plate 37 integral with the trunnion, metal end'eap 38, an insulating collar 39 between the bearing 34: and cap 38, and an annular insulating plate 40 between the cap 38 on one side and the adjacent end of the cylinder 36 and the disk 37 on the other side. The cap and insulation 40 are fastened in place by screws 41 passing through insulating collars 42. Integral with or fastened as with solder upon the surface of the cylinder 36 is a continuous conyolute ridge presenting spirally projecting 13 with. rounded connecting portions 4st at opposite ends. The said ridge, it will be understood, describes an endless zigzag course around the cylinder with rounded return bends adjacent to opposite ends of the cylinder. It in effect an integral part of the cylinder, and although provided, preferably, by means of a continuous strip of wirc,sh:-iped as indicated and soldered to the cylindensurface, it may he formed by any other suitable means. Closely wound about the cylinder 36 is a resistance-wire 45 forming a resistance winding which hugs closely the ride s and intern'iediate surfaces of the cylinder, and presents a continuous, narrow, zigzag contact-projection coincident with the zigzag ridge.

The turns of the resistaime-wire 45 may be insulated from each other and from the cylinder 36 in any desired way. 'iplicant at the present time citccts this insulation by first covering the cylinder with a thin sheet of mica. This sheet may be secured tothe cylinder by a thin interposed layer of shellac duringthe winding ol the wire 45. The wire is then wound upon the cylinder. leaving a space of about .002 of an inch between the turns. The cylinder thus wound is then given a coating of shellac and baked. and then another coating o'l shellac and halted. and so on until su'liicien t shellac has been applied to fill the spac between the turns of the resist ance-u-irc T5. The wire 45, where it covers the ridge 43 and 4 1 is then cleaned oil with cmeuvq'iaocr and surfaced so that all turns are exposed on the ridge and are of exactly the same l'ieight. lt is tohe mnlcrstood,h0W ever, that any other method ol construction desired may be employed.

On opposite sides oF the cylinder 36 and extending longitudinally thereof are terminal-ln'ushes, preferably in the "form of contact-bars 46, 47 mounted upon spring plun; gers 48, disposed as shown, which pass through bearings 49, rising from the platform 32. The bars' 16, i7 bear, yieldingly against the Winding 4-5 at the projectingridge portion thereof, but they contact with no other portion of said winding. The winding 45 at each end is connected with. the adjacent metal end-cap 38-and bearing against the rim portion of each cap 38 is a brush 50.

A shunt wire 51 extends from the wire 26 to one end of the winding 4.5, through the respective brush 50 and end-cap 38; and a continuation, 52, of the Wire 51 extends to a binding-post 3. A wire 53 extends from the endcap and brush at the op 'iosite end of the winding 45 to a switch-lever 5-1. The switch-lever 54 is adapted to close against a contact from which a wire 56 extends to the wire A wire 57 extends from the contact-bar 4:6 to a binding-post l and a wire 58 extends from the contact-bar 4.7 to a binding-post 4.

One of the trunnious of the cylinder 36 carries a worm-gear engaged by a worm 60 on the armature-shaft 10. whereby in the turning of said shaft the cylinder 36 and its ribbed winding 45 are rotated.

To obtain a sinusoidal current, the selectorswiteh 18 is moved to the direct-current contacts 20 and the switch 54 is closed against the contact The motor is started by moving the regulating switch-lever 15 to one of the first contacts of the series 14. The patients electrode-cords are coupled to the binding-posts 4:, 4: The direct current passes, say, from the binding-post 25 through the wire 24. to the resistance winding 23,

thence through Wire 26 to the binding-post all the current will pass from the resistance wire 23 through 26 to the binding-post 27. By moving the voltage regulator 30 to the right in Fig. 1, along the scale 31, a primary shunt current is taken from the direct circuit passing through the windin 23, the voltage of the shunt current being approximately in accordance w th the position of the regulator 30 with reference to the scale 31. The primary shunt current passes from the Wire 26 to the tap wire 51 into the winding 45 of the rotating drum 36, thence through the wire 3, switch 54 and contact 55, Wire 56 and wire 33 to the rod 29 and thence through 30 back to the winding 23. (or through the same course in the reverse direction).

' The bars 4-6, 47 are pressed yieldingly againstopposite sides of the drum 36, each hearing at one point between its ends against the raised, continuous rib of resistance winding lfi, forthe purpose of taking from the primary shunt current, described. a secondary shunt current. This latter current The maximum voll'n c ei Ll passes, say, from the bar 47 through wire {38 to the binding-post 4'. and from hind- 1ng-post F 4 through the wire 57 to the a l 425., 'hen the gap between 4.1, 4 is closed through the body of the patient.

In the turning of the drum 36, the point of contact of each of the bars from the center of the drum to one back to the center, and then to the other end, said contacts moving equally and si multaneously at all times in oppositedircctions with reference to each other. Thus, as'will be readily understood, when, as illustrated in Fin. 3, the points of contact of the bars -16, 4-7 are diametrically opposite each other against the winding 45, there will be no secondary shunt circuit. As the contact point of the ear 46 moves, say to the left and the contact pointof the her l? moves to the right, niore and more resistance will he cut in between them, causing (depending upon the direction of the primary shunt current) say a positive secondary shuntcircuit of graduallyincreasing strength to pass through the patient. W hen the contact points of the hers 46, 47 reach the rounded return bends of the rib, the strength of the secondary shunt circuit is greatest, hecoin ing gradually reduced until the contact points of the bars 4243, 47 which form the secondary shunt-current eircuit-terininals) are again diametrically opposite each other. In the further movement of the said con tacts in the opposite directions beyond the said center, a secondary negative shuut current of gradually increasing strength passes through the patient, reaching its maximum when the said contact points are at the opposite rounded return bends of the rib. eecondary shunt-circuit. or sinusoidal. current, thus produced is" illustrated in Fig.

' inusoidnl cur v the sliding volt Th e rent is regulated by hhiltn regulator 30* on the scal and the length of the sine-we or ran dity of undu r tions, of the siimsoidel current is regzuleted by changing the 1' of the motor b means eat the regulati; vitch H, '15, thereby increasing; or dinineshine the speed of rotation of the cylinder 36. '7

If the sliding selector-sudtch 18 is moved to the contacts El, the so ondary snunt circuit described is changed from a sinusoidal. ciiirrent to what, as aforesaid, l calla tiplex current illi'u ti'ated in Fig. (l. The same rise and ll, or wave, of voltage, or strength of" current passing through the patient will he sinusoidal as before, but alternating in acrorilance with the cycles'of the motor 9. The alternatiiims will not vary, but the maximum voltage may he increased or diminished by movement of the sliding volt regulator 30, and the rapidity of sinusoidal waves increased or diminished by 46, 47, ITIOVBS- end, then To produce a surging current, the sliding selector-switch 18 is moved to the direct cur-' rent contacts 20, the switch in is closed.

agail'ist the contact 55 as before, and the pa; tients electrode-cords are coupled to the binding-posts 3 4. The direct current between the binding-posts 25, 27 passes through the resistance winding 23 as before. The primary shi'int current also pursues the same course before described, but a secondary shunt current is taken by the her 47 from the winding 4-5 passing thence tln-ough the wire 58, binding-post f4 patient. binding-post 3 wire rod 29, sliding voltage regulator 30, winding 23, wire 26 and tap-wire 5'1, hack to the winding ii). The rise and tall between zero and maxiuuun voltage is produced by contact of the bar 4'? hack and forth along the contact rib of the winding 45, as will he readily ruulerstood. The rapidity of the surgce is regulated by regulutiru; the speed of rotation ol the drum 36, and. the maximum voltage by means of the sliding voltage regulator 30, as before (lG v the sliding selector switch 18 is moved to the contacts 20. tlfhe direct current passes through Q-l, "23, 2t 25, 2: as he; cii' the winding through the sliding voltage regulator 30, passing through the her 2%), wire 33, and binding-post 3 through the patient to inhaling-post 3 and wires R between the binding-posts rent is regulated by the sliding voltage regulator 30. The straight galvanic current can he changed to an alternating current by merely shitting theselecter switch to the contacts 21. I

lly employing the mechanisms described, and mounting; upon the slnh or platform in proper re lion thereto other well-known mechanisms, ivduced circuits may be obtained from the galvanic current, and thus other wclldmowu therapeutic currents provided from the ffilzlt general device. The rounded lJillllll-UQI'I(lS ielin the resistance 45 are i'lChzlZllfilO as they tend to eli'ect grad ually or smoothly the reversal. at the peaks of the sine-wzwes. The construction which effects a. surging, sinusoidal or multiplex current .in the present case, and which in vclves, broadly stated, a resistance on the one part, (as the winding and one or more termiiuils, the brush 46 or 47, or both) on theolher part, revolving one with relation todhecother, end so arranged that resistance in a circuit is gradually increased or diminished, while the parts rotate relathe inovc'nent of the ore. A shunt current is taken 2% hack to 23. The strength oi t. 1e curinvention as defined by the claims.

What-I claim as new, and desire to sc cure by Letters Patent, is

1. In:combination, a rotary cylindrical electric resistance formed to present a circumferential endless zigzag contact, and a pair of circuit terminals bearing respectively against different sides of said contact, the points of engagement between said terminals and contact being shifted in opposite directions backand forth along said resistance by the turning of the latter in one direction.

2. .In combination, an electric circuit, a rotary cylinder, a continuous closely wound resistance wire on the cylinder interposed in said circuit and forming an endless zig zag contact surface along the cylinder, and a shunt circuit having terminals at opposite sides of the cylinder bearing against said contact, whereby in the rotation of the cylinder in one direction the points of engagement between said terminals and contact are shifted respectively in opposite directions back and forth on the said resistance winding.

3. In combination, an electric circuit, a

' cylinder in one direction the points of engagement between said terminals and contact are shifted respectively in opposite directions back and forth on the said resistance winding, and means for changing at will the speed of rotation of the cylinder.

4. In combination, an electric circuit, a rotary cylinder, a continuous closely wound resistance wire on the cylinder ll'ltOIDOSQCl in said circuit and forming a raised endless zigzag contact surface along the cylinder. a shunt circuit, and brushes extending parallel with said cylinder at opposite sides and forming the terminals of said shunt circuit in engagement with said contact, whereby in the rotation of the cylinder in one direction the points of engagement. between said brushes and contact are shifted respectively in opposite direction back and forth on the said resistance winding.

5. In combination, a cylindrical rotary electric resistance having endless zigzag contact surface formed with rounded. return -bends, andv an electric-circuit having terminals bearing slidably against said contact, whereby in the rotation of the resistance in one direction the points of engagement between the terminals and contact are shifted respectively back and forth in opposite directions along the resistance.

('3. In combination, a rotary cylinder, a continuous closely wound resistance wire on the cylinder forming a zigzag contact sur face around the'cylinde-r, a shunt circuit having terminals at opposite sides of the cylinder bearing against said contact, whereby in the rotation of the cylinder the points of engagement between said terminals and contact are shifted respectively in opposite directions back and forth on the said resistance winding, and means for directing at will either an alternating or a direct electric current through said winding.

7. In combination, an electric circuit, a rotary cylinder, a continuous closely wound resistance wire on the cylinder interposed in said circuit and forming: a zigzag contact surface around the cylinder, means for regulating, at will, the speed of rotation of said cylinder, and a shunt circuit having a terminal at one side of the cylinder bearing against said contact, whereby in the rotation of the cylinder the point of engagement between said terminal and contact is shifted back and forth on the said resistance wind-- ing at a speed governed bythe speed of rotation of the cylinder.

8. In combination, an elect-riccircuit, a resistance and a terminal in the circuit rotating one with relation to the other, the successive turns oft-he resistance presenting contacts so disposed with relation to the terminal as to contact successively therewith. first in one direction and then the'other along the resistance while the parts are rotating relatively, and a voltage regulator interposed in the circuit.

9. In combination, an electric circuit, a rotary cylinder, a continuous closely wound resistance wire on the cylinder interposed in said circuit and forming a zigzag contact surface along the cylinder, a. shunt circuit having terminal at one side of the cylinder bearing against said contact, whereby in the rotation of the cylinder the point of engagement between said terminal and contact is shifted back and forth on the said resistance winding, and a voltage regulator interposed in one of said circuits, for the purpose set forth.

10. In combination, an electric circuit, a rotary converter in the circuit, a. rotary oy: lindrical resistance in circuit with the c ots lecting rings of the cdnvcrtcr and operativcly connected with the converter to be rotated thereby, said resistance presenting a circumferential zigzag contact, and a shunt circuit terminal bearing against said contact, the point of engagement between said terminal and contact bemg shifted back and forth along said resistance by the turning of the latter.

ll. Incombination, an electric circuit, arotary converter in the circuit, a rotary cy lindri'cal resistance in circuit With the collecting rings of the converter and operatively connected with the'converter to be retated thereby, said resistance presenting a circnmrerentlal zigzag contact, a pair of circuit terminals bearing against said contact at opposite sides of the cylindrical resistance, the points of engagement between said terminals and contact being shifted in opposite directions hack and forth along said resistance by the turning of the latter,

and means for regulating the speed of rotation of the converter, for the purpose set forth. s

JULIUS B. WANTZ. In presence of M. A. NYMAN, R. A. RAYMOND. 

